Folding table



J1me 1940- c. B. HARRELL 2,204,081

FOLDING TABLE Filed Oct. 22, 1938 IN VENTOR.

BY Glennie B. Harrell ATTORNEYS Patented June 11, 1940 UNiTEDsTA-TESPATENT OFFICE.

FOLDING TABLE Glennie B; Harrell, Metropolis 111., assignor toMetropolis Bending Company, Metropolis, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication October 22, 1938, Serial No. 236,479

1 Claim. (climb-99 This invention relates to folding tables, and has forits general object to provide a table of this type wherein the legs areso mounted and the locking means for the legs so constructed andarranged as to provide a rigid support for the table when the legs arein their open or unfolded position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table of this typewherein the means for mounting and locking the table legs are simple inconstruction and economical of production.

I accomplish these objects in and through the construction andarrangement of the parts shown in the drawing hereof, wherein Fig. 1represents a perspective view of one corner of a table having myinvention applied thereto, the parts being broken away to show themanner in which the leg is mounted; Fig. 2 a bottom plan view of thecorner of the table shown in Fig. 1, with the leg in its foldedposition; Fig. 3 a detail in section corresponding to the line 33 ofFig. 2, but showing the table leg in its open or unfolded position; Fig.4 a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the positions of the parts of theleg-supporting and locking means when the leg is near its open position;and Fig. 5 a detail in perspective of the latch which I employ as partof the locking mechanism.

Describing the parts by reference characters, I

represents the top of a table and 2, 2 adjacent rails, united at theiradjacent ends as by a fastening device A and forming part of the skirt.The adjacent ends of the rails 2, 2 are also connected by an anglebracket the leg members 3 and 3 whereof are secured thereto, as by meansof screws 4 and 4 the openings for the screws 4 being shown at 5 onFig. 1. Secured to the leg member 3 of the angle bracket is a secondangle bracket comprising leg members 6 and 6 the former leg member beingsecured to the leg member 3 by the screws 4 and the latter leg memberbeing spaced inwardly from and parallel with the leg member 3. The legmembers 6 and 3 are provided with registering slots 3 and 6respectively, extending upwardly from the bottoms thereof, for a purposeto be explained hereinafter.

1 denotes a table leg. the upper end of which is received within thechanneled space formed between the leg members 3 and 6 being pivotallysupported by a pin 8 mounted in said members. The upper end of the tableleg is provided on the face adjacent to the leg member li with a metalplate 9, which is adapted to contact with the said member, the pin 8extending through said plate as well as through the said leg member. The

plate 9 is'fastened to the table leg by one or more screws [0.

The bottom of the leg member 6 is provided with an arcuate edge portion6, concentric with the pin 8 by which the table leg is rotatably mountedby and between the leg members 3 and 6 .A vertical shoulder H (see Fig.4) is provided at the lower end of this arcuate edge portion 6, and theplate 9 is provided with a pin l2 which is adapted to ride along thisedge portion until it strikes the shoulder.

l3 denotes generally a latch comprising a plate [3 which is pivotallyconnected to the bracket leg member B as by means of a rivet I 4. Thislatch is provided on the lower edge of the plate I3 with an arcuatesurface IS the curvature of which preferably corresponds to thecurvature of the corresponding portion 6 of the leg member 6 when theplate is in the position shown in Fig. 3. The arcuate surface [3 mergesat its lower end with a downwardly extending cam projection l3 having alocking notch l3 extending upwardly from the high end of the cam.

Projecting from the plate portion I3 of the latch is an operating handlecomprising a neck l5 and a finger-engageable portion I5 The neck portion15 is adapted to be received within the registering slots 3 and 6 withthe portion I5 located within the lower portion of a recess IS in thebottom of the rail 2 This recess extends upwardly from the bottom of therail a sufficient distance to provide a receptacle for the coil springI1, the lower end of which engages the top of the finger-engageableportion l5 thereby to retain the pin I2 within the notch 13 when the legis in the open or unfolded position shown in Figs. 1 and 3Q With theparts constructed and arranged as described, it is believed that theoperation will be readily understood. Assuming that the leg is in theopen position, shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and that it is desired to fold it,the operator presses upwardly with his finger on the portion 15 of thehandle, thereby lifting the notch I3 from engagement with the pin l2.This enables the leg to be swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig.2, where it will be retained by friction between the outer surface ofthe table leg and the bracket leg member 3 and between the plate 9 andthe bracket leg member 6*. When it is desired to unfold the leg, theoperator moves the same downwardly, the pin 12 riding along the arcuatesurfaces 6 and l3 until it encounters the cam 3. Further movement in theunfolding or openingdirection causes the pin to ride along the cam,thereby moving the latch upwardly about its pivot l4, against the actionof the spring l1, until the pin rides off the cam and encountersthe'stop shoulder H, whereupon the latch is moved downwardly by thespring and the notch receives the pin therein between the inclined wall13 and the vertical wall I3 thereof, which latter wall preferablyregisters with the shoulder II. It will be noted that the notch 13tapers from the bottom toward the top, being of narrower width at thetop than the diameter of the pin 12 thereby to accommodate for any wearof the latter. The parts 3, 3 and 6 constitute a channeled mountingwherein the upper end of the leg 1 is pivotally supported by the pin orbolt 8.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

The combination, with a table top and side rails forming a corner, of amounting secured in said corner, said mounting comprising inner andouter side members extending substantially parallel with one of saidrails, a leg pivotally mounted at its upper end between the saidmembers, a pin carried by the inner side of said leg, a latch platepivotally supported on the inner side member of said mounting having anotch extending upwardly from the bottom thereof adapted to receive thesaid pin when the leg shall have been fully opened or extended, the saidlatch plate having an inclined surface arranged to be engaged by the pinin advance of the said notch thereby to rock the latch plate upwardly,an operating handle connected with said latch plate and extendingbeneath the other of said rails, said other rail having a recessextending upwardly from the bottom thereof, a coiled spring confinedwithin said recess and having its lower end engaging the top of the saidhandle, said recess being shaped to permit the upward movement of theoperating handle therein.

CLENNIE B. HARRELL.

